Raines, Businessman, Florida Real Estate Investor

W. S.

October 8, 2002|The New York Times

W.S. Raines, a retired businessman and investor in real estate in Alabama and Florida, died on Sunday at his home in Birmingham, Ala. He was 95.

The son of Hiram Howell and Mary Jane Raines, Wattie Simeon Raines was born on the family farm in the hills near Curry, Ala., on Sept. 21, 1907. As a teenager, he met Bertha Walker at church, and the two were married in 1929, when they were 22. He was a carpenter and house builder before he moved to Birmingham.

There, in 1937, he and two of his brothers founded the Raines Brothers Store Fixture Co. In retirement he lived for more than 20 years in Panama City Beach.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Bertha Walker Raines; a daughter, Mary Jo Raines Dean of Mountain Brook, Ala.; two sons, Jerry W., of Birmingham, and Howell, of New York City, who is executive editor of The New York Times; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.